135.4 Waterbox build chronicle and trials

crazysun

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Current Pic....FTS
20190403_173749.jpg

2 Months ago
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5 Months ago
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Current stock
Sailfin Tang
2 Black Clowns
4 Green Chromis
Sixline Wrasse
Golden Head Sleeper Goby
1 Emerald Crab
Cleaner Shrimp
4 Hermit Crabs
Snails, 5 Nassarius, a few Trochus, Cerith, Margarita and Astraea​
3 Feather Duster Worms

3 Mini Maxi Anemone
Rock Flower Anemone - losing it

Stock Lost
1 Green Chromis
1 Peppermint Shrimp
1 Yellow Clown Goby
1 Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
1 Halloween Hermit Crab
4 Emerald Crab
1 Ruby Red Mithrax Crab
1 Tomini Tang - tank jumper
1 Bi-color Blenny - tank jumper
1 Starry Blenny - tank jumper

Corals
4 Mushrooms - Soft - moved to a 10 gal
2 Florida Ricordeas
Iron man Mushrooms - Soft - moved to a 10 gal
8 Different types of Zoas - Soft - moved to a 10 gal
Button Polyps - Soft - moved to a 10 gal
Green Star Polyps - Soft - moved to a 10 gal
Sinularia - Green Finger Leather
Sarcophyton Toadstool Leather
Lettuce - moved to a 10 gal

Frogspawn - LPS
5 Acans or Mircomussa Lordhowensis - LPS
2 Blastomussa Wellsi - LPS​
2 Chalice - LPS
Yellow tipped Elegance - LPS
Yellow Australian Hammer - LPS
2 Red Monti Cap - SPS - loosing it

Purple Chalice Sponge
Blue Chalice Sponge
White Sponges

Corals lost
Chalice - bouncing back with new lights.
Leptoseris -Jack of lantern
Florida Ricordea - was trying to save it from the LFS
2 Birds Nest
Torch - LPS
Pavona/Cactus - SPS
Cyphastrea - Meteor Shower - LPS/SPS

Cyphastrea - LPS/SPS loosing it
Hollywood Stunner Chalice
Duncan - LPS

Building a reef tank after 20 years of quiting a 55g saltwater aquarium. Boy, times have changed and the amount of available information and research at my fingertips is overwhelmingly amazing. I just need to cut through the static and find out what works for me in my reef tank. Planning to take it slow and easy learning along the way. I am trying not to make too many mistakes.

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crazysun

crazysun

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Collecting quarantine tanks, RODI system, and Reef Saver rocks for the 135.4 waterbox aquarium. Planning to Run 3 quarantine tanks. One tank for fish, a tank for corals, and in the last one for either fish or inverts. Planning to run a kessil a80 on the one with the corals.

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crazysun

crazysun

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Built tank and stand. Placed it in the basement as opposed to the main floor because I was worried of the weight of the hundred gallon tank on just two floor joists. Even though it would have been next to to support walls. I think it would have been fine, but if it was up for many years I was worried of the stress on the floor. Now if it's spanning more floor joists I would have maybe reconsidered. If this succeeds, I'd like to get a smaller tank for upstairs.

I went with current usa loop bundle with the 48 in orbit IC pro lights and eflux wave and return pumps. I did this because of budgetary needs and to possibly upgrade lights in the future. At first, I am planning softies and LPS. The 1050 gph wave pumps in the bundle have a bit too weak of a magnet for the 1/2 inch glass. But I think they'll be fine. Also got an accessory wave pump that is the 2100 gph.

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crazysun

crazysun

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Next I am going to plumb a manifold after taking off the bar fitting on the return pipe bulkhead. Waiting for the parts from Bulk Reef Supply.

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Used a hair dryer to separate the glue from the bulkhead and the Barb fitting that came with the 135.4 waterbox Aquarium. Got the idea from reading other posts on reef2reef. The water box comes Metric plumbing and I need a conversion from metric to standard to plumb the manifold.

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Fudsey

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Are you redoing your drains as well? I am getting my 135.4 Monday and will be plumbing it to my basement. I already have drain and returns from tank that is there. Was hoping to connect to to existing plumbing but after reading about Waterbox using metric I know it's going to be more work than I initially thought.
 
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crazysun

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Are you redoing your drains as well? I am getting my 135.4 Monday and will be plumbing it to my basement. I already have drain and returns from tank that is there. Was hoping to connect to to existing plumbing but after reading about Waterbox using metric I know it's going to be more work than I initially thought.
No, I don't plan on changing the drains. The drains seam solid and the only reason I could see changing is if the ball valve doesn't hold up. I would then go to a gate valve. The only reason I am changing the return pluming is to add a manifold for future enhancements, reactors, etc. otherwise it also seams solid. Now hard to tell anything until I get water in it. (fingers crossed)
 
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Fudsey

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Remember, if ick is suspected, you need to have the treatment tank at least 10 feet away. It can become airborne. Not sure about velvet or brook.
 
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crazysun

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Remember, if ick is suspected, you need to have the treatment tank at least 10 feet away. It can become airborne. Not sure about velvet or brook.
I did not know that. The QT is in another room and if I run two fish QTs at the same time I am planning to med copper. Having only 10g QTs I will only have one or two fish at a time. I am hoping it will curve me from adding too many fish or too big of fish.
 
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crazysun

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Starting to plan my Aquascape. I need to get more Reef Saver rock. I will be changing the layout several times until I get to where I want it to look. I plan to cure the Rock in the tank while I'm testing all the equipment, after a month or so I will do a 50, 70, or whatever it takes water change. I will then add the sand and cycle the tank for fish.
The pictures show only 35 pounds of rock. I am planning to get another 50 pounds or so.

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crazysun

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I have the start of a manifold. I will be able to close the valve and add pieces at a later date. Right now it is plumb to prevent backflow and shut off. I needed to make a couple of decisions to allow for both a backflow check valve and ball valve to save space. I wanted a couple of unions between the pieces, but had to remove them to shorten the length or change the layout. I will need to address it in the future if the check valve fails or it needs to be cleaned. I should be able to clean it in place (it will be a bit more difficult, but manageable).

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Place the return tube, clean tank, and add rocks then she is ready for water.
 
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Fudsey

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Did you put something in the bottom of your tank? Almost looks like the pad is inside the tank.
 
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crazysun

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It kinda does... it is a bare bottom, just the reflection from the lights and the angle of the photo.
 

Fudsey

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Ahh OK, just looked weird from the pic :) I should have my tank Thursday.

What size are the locline?
 

PookieGV

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Nice. My waterbox 135 is stil in my garage. I am also concerned about the weight, but i plan on putting it on the first floor. A couple of questions:
Are you planning on using the built in fresh water reservoir?

If you cheat a fugue in the skimmer chamber, where are you putting heaters?
 
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crazysun

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Nice. My waterbox 135 is stil in my garage. I am also concerned about the weight, but i plan on putting it on the first floor. A couple of questions:
Are you planning on using the built in fresh water reservoir?

If you cheat a fugue in the skimmer chamber, where are you putting heaters?

I had mine in the garage for a week. I used a hand truck (dolly) to move it down to the basement. I do not plan on converting the reservoir into a refug like so many others have done. I plan on having the heaters in both of the sections, next to the skimmer into the overflow area and the another smaller one in the sectioned off refugium. I think the baffled section will be about a 5 gal section. if it doesn't work I will have to try something else, like a reactor.
 
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